About Unions

Why Union? Because Unions helped unite workers and fight for a living standards for us, our families and our communities.

What Does A Union Do? The most basic function of a union is to give a collective voice to workers when dealing with their employer. A written contract between workers and their employer lays out the terms and conditions of work, including benefits, holidays, and wages. Union members decide together what issues are most important to them and then a bargaining committee meets with the company to negotiate.

The Union Advantage. Most people involved in organizing a union want dignity and respect more than a big increase in pay. But there is a distinct financial advantage to having a union contract. Across Canada, unionized workers earn almost $5 per hour more than their counterparts without a union. That’s a huge advantage – but it only came about because past generations put their time and energy into building strong unions. Not every unionized workplace will have better wages and conditions, but overall, unions make the difference in raising the standards of millions of workers. In many cases, non-union companies raise their wages to stay close to the rates set by union contracts.

To learn more about the  benefits of having a union, About Unions pamphlet.